Methods and Systems for Network Based Capture of Television Viewer Generated Clickstreams

Abstract

Clickstream data is locally captured and sent to a remote component for analysis. Any commands may be locally and/or remotely executed to alter content.

1 . A method, comprising:
 establishing communication between a viewer appliance and a remotely located video control system;   receiving, at the viewer appliance, a command entered during presentation of content;   executing the command at the viewer appliance to alter an aspect of the content being presented; and   parallel performing a concurrent forwarding of the command from the viewer appliance to the remotely located video control system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining the command changes a channel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining the command fails to change a channel. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a confirmation that the command has been executed. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising sending the confirmation from the viewer appliance to the remotely located video control system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a stream of video as the content. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 retrieving content information describing the content; and   merging the command with the content information to generate data of a timeline describing the content information associated to the command.   
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory storing code that when executed causes the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:   establishing communication between a viewer appliance and a remotely located video control system;   receiving, at the viewer appliance, a command entered during presentation of content;   executing the command at the viewer appliance to alter an aspect of the content being presented; and   parallel performing a concurrent forwarding of the command from the viewer appliance to the remotely located video control system.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the command changes a channel. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the command fails to change a channel. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise generating a confirmation that the command has been executed. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise sending the confirmation from the viewer appliance to the remotely located video control system. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a stream of video as the content. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 retrieving content information describing the content; and   merging the command with the content information to generate data of a timeline describing the content information associated to the command.   
     
     
         15 . A memory storing code that when executed causes a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 establishing communication between a viewer appliance and a remotely located video control system;   receiving, at the viewer appliance, a command entered during presentation of content;   executing the command at the viewer appliance to alter an aspect of the content being presented; and   parallel performing a concurrent forwarding of the command from the viewer appliance to the remotely located video control system.   
     
     
         16 . The memory of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the command changes a channel. 
     
     
         17 . The memory of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the command fails to change a channel. 
     
     
         18 . The memory of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise generating a confirmation that the command has been executed. 
     
     
         19 . The memory of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise sending the confirmation from the viewer appliance to the remotely located video control system. 
     
     
         20 . The memory of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a stream of video as the content.